Means for mounting vehicle wheels



- 1 1,646,352 Get. 18, 1927. R. L DENHAM MEANS FOR MOUNTING VEHICLE WHEELS Filed Jan. 25, 1927 h I; *M

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Patented Oct. 18,1927.

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asfaltate ivason aannam, es Hrnsenan, Lennon, Encinas.

MEANS EOE MOUNTING VEHICLE WHEELS.

K ,I l y.. .I fr.. f-,jl ,I Y j Application filed January 25, 1927, Serial No. 163,480, and in Great Britain February 4,1953

This invention relates topany improvement in or modification of the device described in the specification of United States Letters Patent No. 1,536,778 for facilitating lthe starting of automobile engines. According to the present invention one of the rear road wheels of the vehicle ismounted loosely upon a sleeve fixed to the axle said sleeve extending beyond the end of the axle andV supporting a collar the inner end of which is provided with angular teeth that mesh with similar teeth provided `on the end ofthe wheel boss. An annular chamber is formed in the aforesaid collar within which is placed a helical spring that is compressed `when the teeth are in engagement with one an` other.

The outer end of the `sleeve is screwthreaded and provided with a hollow nutdinal serrations and corresponding serra' tions are formed` on the interior surface of the collar to connect the same rotatably with the sleeve and permits longitudinal movement thereof away from the wheel boss onv withdrawing the hollow nut aforesaid.

In order thatlthe invention may be clearly understood reference may now be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the device applied to the ordinary standard axle of a Ford car.

Figure 2 is a similar view of a modified construction.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end view of Figure 2 with the cap removed and Figure t a fragmentary elevation of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing in which similar reference characters relate to like parts in all the figures, instead of the hub flange a carrying the boss b on which the road wheel is mounted being secured to the tapered end d of the axle e it is loosely and rotatably mounted onv the sleeve f that is secured to the tapered end Z of the axle e by the key g or any other convenient manner.

The sleeve f extends beyond the end of the i. '.1 axle aand-supports thecollar @the innerend of which is provided with angular teethv /L that mesh with similar teeth` j provided on the Vend of the wheel boss b. Any annular chamber Ic is formed in the collar i within which is placed the helical spring m that is compressed when the teeth it and are in engagement with one another.

The outer end of the sleeve f is screwthreaded and provided with a hollow nut or cap n which when screwed home` retains the collar z' in engagement with the wheel boss b andthe groove 0 may be provided in the screwed portion of the sleeve f for` accommodating theV locking or grub screw p that passes through from the exterior and secures the nut n in the closed position. The exterior surface of the sleeve f is provided with longitudinal Serrat-ions g' and corresponding serrations are formed on the interior surface of the collar z' to connect the same rotatably with the sleeve f but permits of longitudinal movement thereof away from the wheel boss b vwhen the hollow nut or cap n is withdrawn.

The construction illustrated in Figures 2 to 4; is substantially the'same as that illus trated in Figure l with the exception that instead of the serrations g being provided on the internal surface of the collar z' and the exterior surface of the sleeve f the screwthreaded end of the sleeve fis provided with longitudinally disposed slots 1" which ac` vcommodate projections s formed on the interior surface ofthe collar z'. This constructional detail is clearly shown in the fragmentary end view Figure 3.

It will now be understood that presuming the nut or cap n be slackened backthe collar z' will also recede laterally due to the pressure imparted thereto by the spring m until the angular teeth L and j become disengaged, when the axle e can be rotated without transmitting rotatory motion to the wheel mounted on the boss b, or in other words, a free whe-el action of the axle is permssible.

What I claim is 1. In combination, a vehicle wheel hub provided with clutch teeth, an axle therefor with a tapered end, a sleeve fixed to said tapered end and rotatably carrying said wheel hub, a

collar slidably mounted on said sleeve and provided with clutch teeth for engaging the clutch teeth on said wheel hub, a helical spring encircling said sleeve and disposed within an annular chamberr in said collar, a

cap screwed on the outer end of said sleeve and normallykeepng said `clutch elements inengagement, and means for securing said cap in its closed position.

2. In combination, a vehicle Wheel hun gaging the clutch teeth on Said Wheel hub,

means for ensuring a rotatable connection between Said sleeve and said collar, a helical spring encircling sadsleeve and disposed within an annular chamber n said collar, a cap screwed on theonter end of Sald sleeve and normallykeepmg said clutch elements in engagement, a `groove on said outer end.

and a looking Screw engaging. said groove for securmg sald cap 1n the olosedlposltlon. In testlmony whereof I aix my Slgnature.

REGINALD IVESON DENHAM. 

